Customs officials in Xiamen have smashed a transcontinental smuggling ring responsible for illegally importing almost 12 tons of ivory worth 603 million yuan (HK$767 million), Xinhua reports.
The details of a long-term investigation into two criminal gangs were announced yesterday by Xiamen Customs, who named two “black bosses” as masterminds.
The first, a Fujian native man surnamed Chen, co-ordinated a smuggling ring between China and Africa in order to meet increasing demand beyond the fixed annual import limit set for his licensed ivory shop.
Chen’s group has been known to Xiamen customs since 2011. In August this year, several members were arrested and almost 2,000 kilograms of ivory were seized. Xiamen customs now attribute several loads to the gang, including four loads in 2011 hidden in shipments of sand, cashew nut, metal and leather.
Chen’s gang also smuggled shipments through Hong Kong, where several illegal loads have been seized in recent months. In early October close to 800 kilograms was seized, having originated from the Ivory Coast.
The deputy inspector of the Xiamen Customs Anti-smuggling Bureau, Hu Yonggang, named Mr Liu as the second mastermind currently investigated by the department. Liu’s gang was said to be responsible for a 4.2 ton haul seized late last year.